Static Shocker

With this portable Van De Graaff generator you can perform many classic static electricity experiments.

Description

With this portable Van De Graaff generator you can perform many classic static electricity experiments. All you need are a few bits of tape, an aluminum can, and batteries. Watch the static charge suspend the included Mylar strips, and then collapse them with a touch of your finger, only to watch the strips pop back up! The 15-page illustrated guide explains the science of static electricity and provides instructions on how to bend a thin stream of water, push an empty can, light a small fluorescent tube (not included), and more. Requires 2 AA batteries and an empty soda can.

I purchased this to use in my 7th grade classroom for my unit on electricity. What a terrific little demo! My students were able to charge the can and observe the charges on the mylar strips. It's even powerful enough to distribute shocks to inquiring fingers :-)

Fun to use and good to demonstrate principles of charge and static electricity. I bought 8 to use in class teaching, but while some give a strong charge, others give only a weak charge and the children were frustrated in making the demonstrations work.

NGSS

This product will support your students' understanding of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)*, as shown in the table below.

Elementary

Middle School

High School

4-PS3-2* 4-PS3-4*

*Not intended for use by children under 12 years of age.

*Teachers may choose to use this device for demonstration purposes only.

MS-PS3-2

Students can use the Static Shocker in an investigation to develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of objects interacting, different amounts of potential energy are stored in the system.

MS-PS3-4

Students can use the Static Shocker in an investigation to determine the relationships among the energy transferred the type of matter, the mass, and the change in the average kinetic energy of the particles as measured by the temperature of the sample.

MS-PS3-4

Students can use the Static Shocker in an investigation to determine the relationships among the energy transferred, the type of matter, the mass, and the change in the average kinetic energy.

MS-ETS1-2

Students can use the Static Shocker to plan and evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

HS-PS3-3

Students can use the Static Shocker to design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

HS-PS3-5

Students can plan and conduct an investigation with the Static Shocker to develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields to illustrate forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction.

Suggested Science Idea(s)

4-PS3-2* 4-PS3-4* MS-PS3-4 MS-ETS1-2 HS-PS3-3

Visually demonstrate the presence of a static charge. The aluminum ribbons react; they will repel away from each other. The stronger the charge, the more the ribbons separate. Test different materials for their static potential. The variables are endless and offer lots of inquiry.

*Not intended for use by children under 12 years of age.

* NGSS is a registered trademark of Achieve. Neither Achieve nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this product.